Florida Redistricting Map Favoring GOP Allowed One Time

Aug. 23 (Bloomberg) -- A Florida judge allowed the use of
voting districts favoring Republicans in November while
approving revised congressional boundaries for subsequent
elections.

Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis in Tallahassee ruled
earlier that the election map was improperly drawn and ordered
the state legislature to revise the districts to address
“gerrymandering” in two of them.

While voting-rights groups argued that a new map should go
into effect in 2014, Lewis said in his ruling yesterday that
holding special elections this year for the districts “is not
an appropriate remedy under the circumstances.” The new map
would instead be in place for 2016 elections.

Florida’s Republican-led legislature in 2012 approved its
redistricting plan, which was signed into law by Governor Rick
Scott, a Republican. Voting-rights groups sued, claiming the map
violated the state constitution.

The the two problem districts cited by the judge were
District 5, a jagged sliver running from Jacksonville to Orlando
140 miles (225 kilometers) south, and District 10, near Orlando.
District 5 is held by U.S. Representative Corrine Brown, a
Democrat, and District 10 by Representative Daniel Webster, a
Republican.

The revised map Lewis approved yesterday made changes to
seven of the state’s 27 districts. Lewis had required that
District 5 and District 10 be changed along with “any other
districts affected thereby.”

Second Chances

“You know, sometimes life affords you second chances,”
said Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford, a Republican, in a
statement. “I’m glad we got it right on the second round.”

David King, a lawyer for the League of Women Voters, said
in a statement that the group was “disappointed” and plans to
appeal the ruling.

Voting rights groups argued the revised map was still
unconstitutional and that the changes were superficial. Lewis
disagreed and said that District 5 was “much improved” and is
now “less serpentine and visually more compact.” The changes
also removed an “appendage” designed to benefit a Republican
incumbent in District 10, Lewis said.

The state is not required “to produce a map that the
plaintiffs, or I, or anyone else might prefer,” Lewis said in
his ruling yesterday. “The legislature is only required to
produce a map that meets the requirements of the constitution.”

The dispute threatened to upend the timetable for Florida’s
elections, for which candidates have already qualified. Absentee
ballots have already been sent to 63,000 Florida military and
overseas voters, legislators said.

Avoiding Disruptions

The legislature had argued that elections based on new maps
should wait until 2016 to avoid disruptions.

In an earlier ruling, Lewis said he would “consider the
possibility” of pushing back November elections, despite
calling the legislature’s suggestion “more sensible.”

Florida’s secretary of state has suggested holding special
elections in March and May, while saying in court filings that
would probably run afoul of the requirement that members of the
House serve two-year terms.

King argued at a hearing this month that the maps didn’t
follow a constitutional amendment prohibiting gerrymandering and
District 5 was oddly shaped to the detriment of Democrats.

“What they are really protecting is their Republican
interest and they are preventing, they are constraining, more
African-American representation” he said.

George Meros, an attorney representing the Florida House,
said that an earlier map of the district was drawn almost 20
years ago under federal guidelines and was meant to abate
“rampant racial discrimination in voting in northeast
Florida.”